Troubleshooting 2011 Subaru Outback with No Brake Lights and Won't Shift Out of Park

Published 05/22/2014

Question:

I installed on my 2011 Outback as shown in video, including tapping the brake signal @ the 4-pin harness. On the first use, after several hundred miles of towing, my brake warning light and VDC light came on and the vehicles seems to not be getting a brake signal, as it wont come out of park and has no brake lights. Could tapping the brake signal at the harness instead of the pedal cause this?

asked by: Tim

Expert Reply:

It would be very unlikely that using the brake switch wire going into the converter box for the 4-way wiring of your 2011 Subaru Outback to install a brake controller would cause the problem you are having. The brake controller you installed would only use this circuit as a signal wire and would not draw any current from it.

Typically on vehicles like yours when this problem arises it's because of a blown stoplight fuse or a blown taillight bulb or bad socket.

expert reply by: Jameson C